33 Weeks Pregnant

What Happens During the 33rd Week of Pregnancy?

When you are thirty-three weeks pregnant, your body will be undergoing several changes. They range from the impact of pregnancy symptoms to fetal development. Here, we will look into them in detail to have clarity as you step into this time of your pregnancy.

Hormonal Changes and Pregnancy Symptoms

During this time, you will notice that you have pain in your back. It is because of your little one's growth, which leads to an increase in the size of your uterus. Due to this, there will be pressure on your sciatic nerve, which will pave the way for back pain when you are pregnant. However, it might continue for some women even after giving birth. But, if you think that it is challenging for you to work your way through the pain you have, you can seek professional help. Other than that, you might have swelling and pain in your ankles and feet. It is yet another common issue that happens because of the increase in the size of your uterus. It is a factor that leads to pressure on your veins. You might also be having pound ligament pain along with belly aches. They are common, especially when you change your position while sleeping or sitting.

Because of the changes happening in you, you might have complications in sleeping. Some of you might even slip into insomnia during this time of pregnancy. Hence, it will be beneficial to take rest and naps from time to time to enhance your well-being.

Besides these concerns, you might be facing shortness of breath, which can happen as a result of the other changes in you. Heartburn and issues with indigestion are other problems that can have an impact on your well-being.

Other than that, Braxton Hicks Contractions is something that might have a continuing impact on you while you are 33 weeks pregnant. Here, you have to keep track of them to ensure that they are not resulting in any unnecessary complications. Apart from these changes happening due to the hormones, your nail growth will also increase. However, they would turn brittle with time, which might not be something you would find satisfying. These are the main hormonal changes and pregnancy symptoms that can impact you while you are 33 weeks pregnant.

Bodily Changes

At this time, your body will be undergoing drastic changes. One of the noticeable bodily developments is the increase in your belly size and your uterus. Here, your weight gain will be around 10 to 13 kg, which can change depending upon the number of kids you carry. Other than that, your uterus will be about 13 cm at this stage of pregnancy. Some of you might notice that there is an increase in their breasts. At times, there will be leaking colostrum from the breasts. It is a way of preparing your body for breastfeeding your little one. These are signs that show that your body is getting accustomed to your pregnancy.

Another change happening in you with an impact is the increase in blood production in your body. There is around a 40% rise in blood volume in your body. Your heartbeat will also increase, which is yet another factor you can notice while you are pregnant. Sometimes, there is a chance where you might feel that your heart is skipping a beat or two due to a sudden increase in heartbeat level. These are the main changes that you can notice in your body during your 33rd week of pregnancy.

Fetal Development

Your baby will be around 43 cm long in this week of pregnancy and weigh about 1.9 kg. However, in the coming weeks, there will be a tremendous increase in your baby's body weight. Through this change, your little one will take a look that is highly similar to a human infant. When it comes to your baby's eyesight, your little one will continue to be sensitive to any form of light that enters through the abdominal walls. Other than that, your baby will be spending an ample amount of time sleeping, especially when there is no light present.

As the days pass by, your little one will be occupying more space in your uterus during these days. Due to this, your baby might not be feeling as comfortable as before. Besides that, there will be an increase in the level of amniotic fluid in your belly too. Your baby will drink a lot of amniotic fluid at this stage of pregnancy.

Another development happening in your little one will be the progress in the independent immune system. Your baby's skull will be soft as your little one needs to move down the birth canal. These are the main changes happening to your baby during this week of pregnancy. During this time, if you have an ultrasound scan, you can notice that your little one's eyes are open.

Things to Take Care of Yourself During the 33rd Week of Pregnancy

While you are 33 weeks pregnant, you have to take good care of yourself. As part of that, here are a few aspects that can help you improve your well-being.

Maintaining a Healthy Diet

During this time of pregnancy, similar to the previous weeks, you have to take care of your diet. Here, you should have healthy food items to enhance your well-being. Try to include a variety of food items in your diet. It is beneficial to include proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fat in your diet. You can opt for having a balanced nutritional diet as a way to improve your chances of acquiring all the necessary nutrients.

Besides, it will be helpful to reduce the intake of biotin in your diet while you are 33 weeks pregnant. Other than that, you have to ensure that you drink plenty of liquids as well. But, you have to ensure that you have eight to ten-ounce glasses of water in your routine. It is something that can help you stay hydrated because hydration is essential when you are pregnant. You can also include smoothies, fruit juices, and soups in your diet without any additives or preservatives in them.

Look into Your Physical Health

Similar to the previous weeks of pregnancy, you have to ensure that you take good care of your physical health. However, it doesn't mean that you have to take part in intense workout routines. Instead, you can opt for simple exercises that include walking, swimming, etc. Other than that, if you are someone who has been practicing weight training, try to do it with fewer weights. Here, you have to be extremely careful, and if possible, it will be beneficial to avoid these forms of workouts until your delivery. Other exercises that you can engage in while you are 33 weeks pregnant are pregnancy-friendly yoga and pilates. Here, it will be beneficial to join a program and acquire assistance in practicing them. Besides, speaking with your doctor can also help you understand the exercises you can try while pregnant.

Enhance Your Mental Health

During this time of pregnancy, you might be feeling anxious and stressed as your dates are approaching. Hence, it can have a toll on your mental health. Due to this, it will be beneficial to take necessary care for enhancing your mental well-being. As part of that, you can try out relaxation techniques like meditation, journaling, breathing exercises, etc. Besides, speaking with your loved ones and gaining moral support from them can also be helpful. You can always seek assistance from your doctor if you think that things are heading in a direction beyond your control.

Other Tips

Here are a few other tips that can help you during the 33rd week of pregnancy.